Mechanical teeing device



F. D. BAUMGARTNER MECHANICAL TEEING DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1930 x. ,o 1 3 H W o M 1 W A ,7- .j z/\ w. www w 0% A \|V 11\ 1 A Z 3 l Z v l l ,f N/f, F y Z w a ,l o 5 W, 5il Q HWHJNH o -La m 5 M Q 6 n \\\\\\\\\\\\\\U\\\\\\\\\. \\w IOWM Hl 6 2 i! -iff d F Nov. 22, 1932.

Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED STATES FLOYD D. BAUMGARTNER, OF CEDAR BAPDS, IOWA MECHANICAL 'rnnno nnvron Application led November 12, 1930. Serial No. 495,256.

This invention relates to a mechanical teeing device and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a' device of such character which is particularly adapted forV teeing golf balls on driving courts.-

A further object of the invention is to provide a deviceiof the character aforesaid, by means of which'a number of golf balls may be successively teed at exactly the same height without touching the same.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more particularly described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be under stood that the description and drawing are to be taken as illustrative and that the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a. sectional elevation of a teeing device in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sec- Y tion taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 indicates a floor member having a space therebeneath within which is located a vertically disposed plate 2. Slidably eXtending through an opening 3 in the floor 1 is a plunger 4 having a suitable head 5 at the upper end thereof. The plunger 4 slidably eX- tends through a pair of guides 6 fiXedly se cured to the plate 2. Rotatably connected with the plunger 4, in spaced relation to the lower end thereof, is a roller 7, the peripheral face of which bears against the upper face of an inclined lever 8 which is pivotally con nected at one end with the plate 2 as indicated at 9. At the opposite end thereof, the

lever 8 is formed with a reduced portion 10 which slidably entends through a. block 11 pivotally connected by means of a pin 12 with a tee supporting bar 13.

The tee supporting bar 13 is vertically disposed and slidably extends through a pair of guides 14 fixedlysecured to the plate 2. At the upper end thereof, the tee bar 13 is formed with a reduced portion 15 which is encircled by an upstanding coiled spring 16 having a tee 17 secured to the upper end thereof. The tee 1'? is adapted to be reciprocated vertically through a suitable opening 18 formed in the floor 1 and is suitably cupped in its upper face to provide a seat for a golf ball, such as 19. Intermediate the ends thereof, the lever 8 has connected therewith one end of a coiled spring 20, the opposite end of which is secured t'o the plate 2. rEhe spring 2O exerts an upward force on the lever S to normally maintain the tee 17 in the full line position shown in Figure 1.

Having one end pivotally connected with the plate 2 is a lever 21 which extends at a downward inclination towards the end of the plate provided with the tee supporting bar 13. Fixedly connected with the lever 21 is a right a-ngularly disposed karm 22 which is formed with a bifurcated lower end portion 23 having a roller 24 rotatably mounted adj acent the free end thereof. The lever 3 eX- tends through the bifurcated portion 23 of the arm Secured to the lever 21 and plate 2 is a spring 25 which normally maintains the lever 21 in engagement with an adjusting 85 screw 26 threaded through a suitable lug 27 projecting from the plate 2.

Terminating adjacent the upper end of the tee supporting har 13 and the free end of the lever 21 is a downwardly inclined chute 28 which is of appropriate dimensions to accommodate a series of golf balls as indicated in dotted lines at 29. rlhe chute 28 is formed with an open lower end which is normally maintained closed by means of a stop 30 secured to the free end ofthe lever 21 and eX- tending upwardly therefrom into the path of the balls 29. Also projecting into the path of the balls 29, in spaced relation to the chute 28, is a rigid stop 31 secured to and projecting from the plate Q.

The operation of the device now will be described, assuming the parts of the device to be in the positions shown in full lines in Figure 1, after the ball 19 has been driven from the tee 17. The plunger 4 is depressed, such as by stepping on the head 5, thereby causing the lever 8 to be swung downwardly about its pivot, owing to the rolling Contact of the roller 7 with the upper face of the lever. The roller 7 permits a swinging movement of the lever 8 by the action of a true vertical sliding movement of the plunger Il. Upon swinging the lever 8 downwardly about its pivot, the tee supporting bar 13 is moved downwardly through the guides 1li to bring the tee 17 into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. Owing to the sliding connection of the reduced portion 10 of the lever 8 with the block 11 pivotally connected with the bar 13, a true vertical sliding movementmay be imparted to the bar 13 by the swinging movement of the lever 8.

As the lever 8 approaches the limit of its downward movement, the same is brought into Contact with the roller Q4 carried by the bifurcated arm 22 rigidly connected with the lever 21. A continued downward movement of the lever 8 causes the arm 22 and lever 21 to be swung into the positions shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The movement of the lever 21 to its dotted line position causes the stop 30 to be withdrawn from the path of the balls 29 whereby the foremost of the latter will roll from the chute onto the tee 17, such ball being prevented from rolling beyond the tee by its contact with the stop 31. The remaining balls in the chute will be prevented from leaving the same by the ball supported on the tee 17, so long as the tee remains in its dotted line position.

Upon the release of the downward pressure on the plunger 4, the lever 8 is returned to its original position by the action of the spring 20. A gradual upward movement of the lever 8 to its original position is insured by means of a shock absorber 32 which includes a piston rod 33 pivotally connected with the lever 8 and provided with a piston 34 slidably disposed within a casing 35 having a lug 36 fixedly secured to the plate 2. Upon the release of the pressure on the roller 24 by the upward movement of the lever 8, the lever 21 is returned to its original position by the action of the spring 25. Thus at the same time that the tee supporting bar 13 is moved upwardly to return the tee 17 to its full line position, the stop 30 is moved upwardly into the path of the foremost of the balls 29 to prevent the latter from leaving the chute 28.

It is to be noticed that the tee 17 is flexibly supported on the bar 13 in order to prevent any likelihood of the tee or bar becoming broken by the force of the club used to drive the ball from the tee.

It is thought that the many advantages of a mechanical teeing device in accordance with this invention will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is A mechanical teeing device comprising, a vertically slidable tee supporting bar, a tee supported thereon, means including a vertically swinging lever for moving the bar downwardly to lower the tee, a downwardly inclined ball dispensing chute having an open lower endV adjacent the bar, a ball stop arranged in spaced relation to the open end of the chute, a pivoted lever carrying a stop for normally closing the open end of the chute, a depending, depressible bifurcated arm rigidly connected with said last named lever and having said first named lever extending therethrough to provide for depressing said arm, to move the chute closing stop on the operation of the bar moving means from normal, means for returning the bar to its original position, and means for returning the chute closing stop to its original position upon the return movement of the bar.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature hereto.

FLOYD D. BAUMGARTNER. 

